Think Different.: January 2014

Wednesday, January 22, 2014

Pokémon, The Devil, & Everything in Between

Here's one of my pet peeves:
Ever heard someone talk about something like Pokémon or Harry Potter and say something like, "Oh, that's the devil, right there. You don't need to be watching that, no sir!" While I understand that ... okay, I don't understand. Here's why:

The stereotype:
"Pokémon is about a kid who travels all over the world collecting demon monsters and making them fight each other for sport. What's worse, he's in control of the fight! He tells them when to make a move, whether to make a move; they're in his complete control. Slavery is what it is. Oh, and evolution! That's denying the Biblical story of creation and evolution is just bad. Don't be teaching my kids that."
... or something like that. They'll either say that or start pointing out how Jinx is a racist Pokémon, or how there was an episode that gave millions of Japanese kids seizures.

Now for the big picture:
Pokémon is about an adventure that any young traveler may go on when he or she becomes of age (around ten or eleven). He/she gets to choose his/her "starter" Pokémon from the local professor, which, from that point on, becomes his/her companion for the rest of the journey. Along the way, he/she "captures" more Pokémon to add more companions to the team. While battling is considered a "sport" in the world of Pokémon, it's not slavery, nor is it mandatory. The traveler may choose between a variety of occupations, from a Trainer (the one who battles) to a Breeder (one who breeds and nurses) to a Ranger (one who uses Pokémon temporarily to protect the environment rather than keep them). Some even keep
Pokémon as pets.
Once captured, Pokémon are usually tamed automatically. This means that they enjoy the sport of battle. This allows them to grow and evolve, which hardly even relates to our theory of evolution. Many people fail to realize that the term evolution simply means, "to grow"; "to change"; or even "to adapt." That's simply what it is. It doesn't get religious until someone starts claiming that we evolved from primates, which sets apart the theory from the term.
Finally, some Pokémon, even when captured, won't be so easily "tamed." Even when tamed, they still have a mind of their own. They only take orders from their "master" if they choose to be obedient.

The stereotype:
"Harry Potter is evil because magic."
That's pretty much how ignorant this statement is. Yep, because magic. Overlook everything else and let's talk about why the magic is wrong.

Now for the big picture:
The story of Harry Potter is about a boy who's parents are killed by the most terrible and most powerful dark wizard. Once that wizard attacks an infant Harry, he survives, making him a celebrity in the wizarding world. Thinking it best that he grows up away from the fame, Albus Dumbledore, a very powerful good wizard, places him in the care of his ignorant aunt and uncle, who care only about themselves. For ten years, Harry suffers prejudice from his aunt and uncle because he is a wizard. Keeping his parents' death and his wizard heritage a secret from him his whole life, Harry has to find out by a man named Hagrid when he is ten years old. Hagrid is sent as a messenger from Dumbledore to fill Harry in of his heritage, his parents, and to help him take his first steps into Hogwart's School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, the only place Harry can truly call his home. Throughout his years at Hogwarts, Harry faces many trials, but survives them all with the help of his two best friends, Ron Weasley and Hermione Granger. Both the books and the movies really take you on a "journey beyond your imagination."

I really don't see the big deal. While it's true that there are Dark Wizards, there are good wizards as well. As for the magic, there's no harm in immersing yourself. This, like Pokémon, is fiction. We get so wrapped up in pointing fingers at the fictional stuff saying "That's sin" that we miss the real sin that's going on around us in reality. What's even stranger is that I know plenty of Christians who obsess over Lord of the Rings, yet they still say the same nonsense about how Harry Potter isn't something to read/watch.

One last stereotype:
Halloween. Here we go. I'll just use a recent example for this one:
A lady and her son, around six-years-old, walk into a pharmacy. The pharmacist behind the counter smiles at the boy and asks him what he's going to dress as for Halloween this year. Before the boy could even speak for himself, the mother starts going off, saying, "He's not going to dress as anything, because we don't celebrate Halloween, and anybody who does is going to hell!" At that, she stormed off.

Now for the big picture:
Halloween, or All Hallows' Eve, was traditionally a Christian holiday. Yep. It was originally a feast to remember the dearly departed; the saints, the martyrs, etc. What about trick-or-treating? Mumming, also a Christian tradition. Odd as it sounds, this is when people would dress fancy and walk into another's house to either dance or play dice in silence. Granted, there have been Pagan, Gaelic, and Welsh influence on the holiday, but I'm putting emphasis on the Christian traditions so people will hopefully get the point.
I believe that dressing up and trick-or-treating is a great thing. The whole experience is just fun festivities, just like going to a fall festival. As for teepeeing one's house or ding-dong-ditching, that's just disrespect. However, the only time any Christian should say "Anyone who celebrates Halloween is going to hell," is if the person in question is practicing devil worship or sacrifice. And that goes for any of the above.

In a nutshell, just mind your own business. In the words of Sly Stone, "Different strokes for different folks."

Thursday, January 16, 2014

Music Man - The Handicapped Drummer

This video is very inspirational. Get acquainted with Dean Zimmer and hear this amazing man's story:

YouTube Highlights

Most of you recognize this logo. Some of you might not. But that's okay, because you gone learn TONIGHT.

Okay, okay, onto the blog. This blog will contain some of my favorite "YouTubers" I've come across recently. I'll post them below along with some of my favorite videos. Well, heeeeeeere we gooooooo!

*Videos marked with an asterisk (*) contain profanity.

# 5 - Kevin Edwards Jr*

Kevin Edwards Jr. is a black man with some funny videos. He parodies the stereotype life of black people from the street, making his videos fall under the category of "racial humor." Reminiscent of the comedy styles of Eddie Murphy, his videos are sure to give you a good chuckle. Check out one of my favorites, "You Know You're Black If... (Part 1)":

# 4 - videogamedunkey*

videogamedunkey is a YouTuber who puts his hilarious commentary to random video games he plays. Very sporadic and somewhat off-topic in his commentary, he explores a variety of random topics in videos. Never a dull moment with this guy. Here's my favorite video of his, entitled, "Dora and the Magic Dunkey":

# 3 - Darren C.*

A new and upcoming YouTuber, Darren Council has been posting videos for a little while under his Channel, mainly films and projects of his company, CrossWay Entertainment. However, Darren has since branched out and has begun making a wide variety of videos from his personal interests to his various creative projects. Check him out!

# 2 - Stephen Taylor

Being a drummer myself, this guy has helped me out a ton in my drumming endeavors, and has definitely helped improve my musicianship and broadened my style. With different lessons each week, each video is like a breath of fresh air for the percussionist. He starts off his video with a fun drummer-related poll for the audience then breaks down the lesson slowly, ending with a preview of the full exercise. Be sure to subscribe to his mailing list and buy his products! He's an awesome instructor! Here's one of his recent video lessons:

# 1 - sWooZie

Coming in at Numero Uno, it's Swoozie! My favorite YouTuber by far, Swoozie has an eclectic of funny videos, inspirational videos, great stories, and a creative style-switching between art and real life. His art style is mainly Flash animation, but every now and again, he'll change the style slightly and go for a stop-motion Lego animated video. Feeling no need to use profanity, Swoozie is friendly for all audiences and still makes his videos much more amusing to watch than the ones that insist on using profanity. He's a bit of a geek, like myself, and definitely a man of many stories. I'll post two of my favorites below, "Confessions of a Disney Employee" and "If I'm Lying, I'm Flying":

Well, there ya go, folks. I'm very excited to see where these users go with their videos and I expect to see many more exciting developments from them in the future! Now... I wanna know YOUR favorite YouTubers, so comment them below and I'll check 'em out! Remember to subscribe to these fine people as well! They all need your support!

Tuesday, January 14, 2014

Music Man - True Folk Heroes

This will be the first post in a segment I'll devote to music called "Music Man". I'll start out with a Facebook post I made late last year about where country music has gone in recent years:

So sorry to all you mainstream country fans out there. I listen to music for variety and, well, it's sad to say that the genre that was once defined by the greats such as Hank, Cash, George Jones, Townes Van Zandt, and even Gram Parsons (though he took it in a slightly different direction) became the most basic, redundant, everyday sound and lyrical content that floods the radio stations nowadays. If anyone is offended by this, don't waste your time by cussing me out; in the words of a real musician, "stop steppin' on my cowboy boots."

That very last quote was a reference to my dad's song, "Stop Steppin' On My Cowboy Boots", which talks about how most mainstream country is terrible, and how we should return to the glory days of country. I couldn't agree with him more. While I haven't delved into too much classic country/folk, I do have a "Top 3 Country Artists" list that I will post rigthceah for you guys. So, here we go. In no particular order...

#1 Johnny Cash

The "Man in Black", my friend once referred to Cash as "the granddaddy of country music." That gave me a bit of a chuckle, but if you think about how much Cash has defined the genre of country music, there wouldn't be a truer statement. Johnny Cash was every definition of a rebel. He's spent his time in jail; he's seen and conquered many forms of heartbreak; he's drank alcohol, taken pills, and found God a second time; and he's stood the test of time.
One thing I found truly interesting about Cash and his character was that, on the day of his death, black rappers were flipping out because they considered Cash one of their greatest heroes. With that intimidating edge to his lyrics, how could one argue? This proves that Cash not only influenced many country artists after him, but he took the whole world of music by storm.
He and June Carter have some of the greatest chemistry onstage. Cash felt deeply for her since he first met her, and that man tried time and again to win her over. When it finally worked, he never left her side. The story of Johnny and June will forever be remembered as one of the greatest of loves.
I'll post two songs by Cash. Here's a famous tune he wrote called "Walk the Line":

This last one is one of my personal favorites, written by songwriter legend, Kris Kristofferson, called "Sunday Mornin' Comin' Down":

#2 Townes Van Zandt

Deep in the valleys of Fort Worth, Texas, what would become a great legend of country and folk music was born. His name was Townes Van Zandt. While I don't know much about Townes, I do know that, similar to Cash, he shared a love for the simpler things in life and the beautiful grand scheme of it all. He did some amazing and beautiful recordings, the most famous of them probably being "Pancho and Lefty." My personal favorite, however, is a tune called "Our Mother the Mountain":

#3 Gram Parsons
While not simply sticking with the "country" genre, Gram Parsons definitely shook the genre a little and added his own flavor to the mix. Preferring the term "American Cosmic" music over "country-rock", Parsons was definitely considered a pioneer of country music.
When joining The Byrds after being in The International Submarine Band, he took the reigns and pushed this group so far into the country genre that before they knew it, they almost couldn't find their way back. Parsons even collaborated with The Rolling Stones, namely Keith Richards. After hanging with Gram for so long, the Stones have definitely since had a country flavor to their work. But I consider Parsons's best work to be his solo albums, GP, and my favorite, Grievous Angel.
Joining him on his solo projects is the beautiful and talented Emmylou Harris. In my opinion, Parsons's and Harris's vocal chemistry tops even Johnny and June's. The way their harmonies mix together, either one of them could stand on their own. Their sound mixes in a way I never thought could be possible or sound so beautiful.
Parsons died of an overdose in September of 1973. Originally intended to be buried in Louisiana, Parsons's burial took an exciting turn of events: instead, he was shipped to the desert of Joshua Tree, California, where his body was cremated, a fitting end to a great country legend. It's a shame that with such a legacy, Gram Parsons faded into obscurity.
Here's one of my favorites from when he was in The Flying Burrito Brothers, called "Wheels":

This last beautiful song also features Emmylou Harris on vocals, "Love Hurts":

Hope you all have enjoyed my list of what I consider to be three of the greatest "folk heroes" to ever grace country music. As a bonus, I'll throw in a song by a more recent Canadian country artist I really enjoy who goes by the name of Daniel Romano. This is a song off of his album Sleep Beneath the Willow, called "Time Forgot (To Change My Heart)":

Thanks for reading, folks!

From Profane to Profound

*SPOILER*

Profanity will be used in this post in an educational manner, and the examples used get very explicit. If you are offended by any type of profanity, you may skip this post.

I've heard it said many times that profanity (swearing, cursing, cussing, etc.) is just an excuse for lack of more intellectual terminology. While that may be the case for those quick, accidental "slips" whenever we stub our toes or remember that we missed an important deadline, is it the same for those people who curse like sailors? Sometimes swearing is used to add more of an intensifying emphasis when describing a specific situation. Other times, it's used as a way to shorten otherwise long terms (i.e. "I had sex with" in comparison to "I fucked"), or to replace terms entirely (i.e. "I have to go '#2' before eating another meal" in comparison to "I gotta take a shit"). Still at other times, there are those who only swear as a last resort, when they're pushed to the edge, making them lash out at anyone who (whether intently or not) pushes them too far. Regardless of the case, I want to post below some alternatives to the normal swear words or phrases used, so you, the reader, can have a bit of a smarter comeback than the oh-so-typical "Fuck you."

Example #1:

There are so many different profane words to select from when you stub your toe on that nasty table-leg that was inconveniently placed there just to make those next few seconds of your life utterly miserable. Usually, they're the typical one-liners, each one of them in a nice exclamatory row. Just go ahead and name all of them, followed by an exclamation point. That'll take the pain riiiiight away.

but instead...

Try doing what my granddad did. For as long as I remember, my granddad was the closest example of a Christian role model for me. So, naturally, I would never expect to hear a single swear word come out of his mouth. Well, we were riding to church one Wednesday evening as we approached some railroad tracks we had to cross over. Where I'm from, trains are merciless, tyrannical creatures that stop for no man. Such was the case in this situation. When seeing that train barrel down the tracks as he approached the crossing, I heard my granddad exclaim, "Aw... FOOT!" That goes down as one of the most entertaining things I've heard anyone say. So the next time you stub your toe on that God-forsaken table-leg, just pull out a random word! Besides, it could make somebody's day!

Example #2:

The connectors. The transitions. The modifiers. What in the world am I talking about? Have you ever been in a conversation with somebody and instead of just saying, "Hey man, could you close that door over there? That breeze blowing in is really getting on my nerves." they'll insist on placing swear words in between almost every word? Let's be them: "Hey man, could you close that fucking door over there? That fucking breeze blowing in is really getting on my damn nerves." If it's an insult towards someone, I can almost assure you that every sentence or remark will end in "You son of a bitch" or other variations.

but if you insist...

Then at least have the decency to liven it up a little. Make it original, make it funny. These first two examples aren't exactly "profound", but they are definitely suitable alternatives that would get a laugh or two. There was a time I could have used "don't give a fuck", but instead I took a healthier road and said, "don't give a flippin' flapjack." So far, I haven't heard anyone use that unique humorous terminology except for myself. It's good for a gentle uplifting chuckle, and it's nowhere near as offensive as the former. Or be like my friends who just say "Well, fracking frack" all the time whenever something bad happens. They even use that as a form of sarcasm. Hey, it works.

Example #3:

Let's not leave out the racial slurs or otherwise discriminative terminology. I think Sly Stone says it perfectly in the title of one of his songs, "Don't Call Me Nigger, Whitey". It's just not something you do. It's one of, if not the one highest form of disrespect to anyone, race, sexuality choice, or otherwise. The idea that one is superior to any of his other fellow humans is outrageous.

so instead...

Just keep your opinions to yourself.

Example #4:

It's time for a comeback. You're either so angry you're about to explode, or you're about to bust out some clever wit about how you slept with their mom the night before. Just... stop. You won't prove anything by sinking to those levels.

believe it or not...

There is a positive and constructive way of bringing someone down. You tell them the truth straight-up, say what you have to say, then walk away. Or.. log off if you're on a messenger or something. What if this was your "comeback": "Well, you're a faggot-ass bitch and I fucked your mom, and this, AND that, so suck my dick!"
Let that sink in for a minute. At this point, does it matter who is being the more mature one? Of course not, because by making a comeback like that, you've pretty much destroyed all your chances. You either sunk to the level of the person you're arguing with, or you've gone way past that. Instead of jumping ahead and thinking with your potty-mouth, take a few minutes and use your brain. Think about what they said (or look at what they've typed). Deconstruct it. Think, "Is this argument even worth it?" If you have a valid point of continuing your argument, think some more. Plan out an organized pattern of what you're going to say and how you're going to say it. Think about all the points you have to make to that person, then make them. No sidetracks. If you make your points valid, maybe you can get out of the argument without even putting that person down at all. However, honesty can be and is usually offensive, especially if you're pointing out the mistakes of another person. The most important thing to remember here is to only start pointing fingers when the actions and mistakes directly affect you and your feelings. Otherwise, you're putting someone down without purpose and with malicious intent. If you lash out and cuss constantly and just keep throwing insult after insult after insult, that can bring a person down quick. Slow down, think of what you're going to say, and only say what is needed to be said.

To explain my use of extremely explicit content, that was just my way of showing you how harsh and how explicit one can actually be with their choice of words. There are people out there who talk like that and they don't think twice about what they are saying, nor do they care if their choice of words are offending the people around them. Compare that harsh use to the great transition I provided in the last example. Those same people can conquer their own tongue just by slowing down and looking at the big picture instead of only themselves.
Yes, I realize there are many more "forms" of profanity that I haven't addressed in this post, but I think I've made my two points clear: use more suitable phrasing (more intelligent vocabulary) and don't unnecessarily bring people down. My goal is to reduce the amount of times you say "For lack of a better word." ;)

Monday, January 13, 2014

Whenever Your Spirits are Low...

Recently I've been feeling down about various random things going on in my life. Instead of choosing an unhealthy approach, such as drinking alcohol or crying yourself to sleep, try the exact opposite. Plunge yourself into spiritual meditation, do something productive to distract yourself, or perhaps assisting someone in their endeavors is the healthiest alternative of all. In my brief few minutes of thinking, I'll add what I believe to be the three healthiest positive approaches to everyday stress and how to cope with it. Hopefully this will be of some assistance to you, my readers! :)

- Pray, meditate, or do some type of spiritual activity.
It doesn't matter if you're religious or not; if you fall under the latter category, I encourage you to try this just for the sake of trying something new! As a Christian, I find prayer to be the most powerful tool at my disposal, literally giving me peace far beyond my own understanding. Fasting is a similar approach, which is also a means of distracting yourself from worldly things. Speaking of distractions...

- Do something creative and productive.
...And don't just go for "the norm." Whatever you decide to do, make it your own. That's why creative is the key term here. Many ways you could exercise your creative muscles is by finding an outlet, whether that be writing, athletics, filming, or whatever the choice. In fact, I started this blog as a means to try something new and creative. One of this blog's purposes (at least the writing portion, for me) is to serve as an outlet for my feelings.

- Help others in need.
It's as simple as it sounds. Find someone in need, make a contribution, a donation, or simply be a helpful voice. By lifting the spirits of others, it lifts your own. There's no "but"s about it. If you don't have money, show your support. Smile as you pass people. The power behind a smile is so amazingly uplifting that we usually don't realize it. If you have a pet, take time to spend with that pet! As far as they're concerned, a little bit of your time is all they need.

Each time you feel down, think back to these three activities and practice them each time they cross your mind. If you have any more suggestions, comments, or want me to give more examples of what I do personally in these situations, just drop a comment below. The most important thing to remember is that happiness isn't physical, tangible, nor searchable. We have it from the time we are born. There's no need to search for something you've had your whole life. So just keep smiling. ^_^

Thursday, January 2, 2014

New Year, New Hobby

With 2014's first day just now behind me, I guess I'll start me a blog. Inspired by the blog "The Strait Line", this blog will include everything from my life, my beliefs, and all my wacky antics; it will be an open door to my world. For right now, let's end the formalities and get on with the blog, shall we?

My name is Ingram Connor Griffin. Hailing from the rural swamplands of South Georgia, I was named after country musician Gram Parsons, formerly named "Ingram Cecil Connor III", also from the area.
Being a Christian who has a wide variety of views, I like to consider myself an ope-minded person but a close-minded believer. You'll know what I mean by that as I post more.
Music is my passion. I'm currently in a "swampadelic" band called The Pine Box Dwellers and I'm also in the process of recording my own original music.
Along with music, I love to act, both in theatre and in films. One of my dreams is to go on Broadway as well as becoming a film star. Right now, I work with some close associates in a film company called CrossWay Entertainment.
Reading and writing have evolved from "learning essentials" into "essential tools of the soul" for me. Writing and music go hand in hand, so I write a song or two whenever anything crosses my mind. I share musician Duff McKagan's view on vocabulary: it is like a weapon arsenal or a toolbox. Each new word is like adding another weapon or tool to my "arsenal of words".
Finally, I am what most people would call a geek. If you need an example, here's some: comics, anime, cartoons, sci-fi, etc.
All of these characteristics and traits make me a well-rounded individual, at least in my mind. I don't know if that's vanity coming into play or not... Well, now that you got to know me a bit better, I'll end this blog with a photo summary of the year of 2013...